Succession of picophytoplankton during the spring bloom 2012 in Disko Bay (West Greenland)—an unexpectedly low abundance of green algae.

Nikolaj Sørensen; Niels Daugbjerg; Katherine Richardson; Rasmus Dyrmose Nørregaard; Laila Espersen; Malene Møhl; Torkel Gissel Nielsen

doi:10.1007/s00300-016-1952-8

Succession of picophytoplankton during the spring bloom 2012 in Disko Bay (West Greenland)—an unexpectedly low abundance of green algae.

Nikolaj Sørensen, Niels Daugbjerg, Katherine Richardson, Rasmus Dyrmose Nørregaard, Laila Espersen, Malene Møhl, Torkel Gissel Nielsen

Abstract

Picoplankton are an ecologically important component of pelagic Arctic marine ecosystems that may be heavily impacted by climate change. In order to assess potential impacts of a changing environment on this group, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of their population dynamics and seasonal distribution. This study, carried out in Disko Bay, West Greenland, during spring 2012, demonstrates that fuco-algae (e.g. chrysophytes, cryptophytes, diatoms and pelagophytes) dominated the picophytoplankton during the spring bloom with minor contributions from haptophytes. In the post-bloom phase, fuco-algae were replaced by haptophytes. In contrast to total chlorophyll a, which varied dramatically over the study period, the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a remained relatively stable despite the variability in picophytoplankton community composition. Based on mostly molecular studies, a general picture has emerged from the literature that mamiellophytes (a group within the green algae) dominate Arctic picophytoplankton. Here, however, green algae were found to contribute with only about 10 % of the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a. We suggest here that differences in cell size may offer a plausible explanation for the contrast between results obtained from molecular studies and those obtained from pigment- and microscopy-based studies.

Original language	English
Journal	Polar Biology
Volume	40
Issue number	2
Pages (from-to)	463-469
Number of pages	7
ISSN	0722-4060
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-1952-8
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2017

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10.1007/s00300-016-1952-8

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title = "Succession of picophytoplankton during the spring bloom 2012 in Disko Bay (West Greenland)—an unexpectedly low abundance of green algae.",

abstract = "Picoplankton are an ecologically important component of pelagic Arctic marine ecosystems that may be heavily impacted by climate change. In order to assess potential impacts of a changing environment on this group, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of their population dynamics and seasonal distribution. This study, carried out in Disko Bay, West Greenland, during spring 2012, demonstrates that fuco-algae (e.g. chrysophytes, cryptophytes, diatoms and pelagophytes) dominated the picophytoplankton during the spring bloom with minor contributions from haptophytes. In the post-bloom phase, fuco-algae were replaced by haptophytes. In contrast to total chlorophyll a, which varied dramatically over the study period, the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a remained relatively stable despite the variability in picophytoplankton community composition. Based on mostly molecular studies, a general picture has emerged from the literature that mamiellophytes (a group within the green algae) dominate Arctic picophytoplankton. Here, however, green algae were found to contribute with only about 10 % of the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a. We suggest here that differences in cell size may offer a plausible explanation for the contrast between results obtained from molecular studies and those obtained from pigment- and microscopy-based studies.",

author = "Nikolaj S{\o}rensen and Niels Daugbjerg and Katherine Richardson and N{\o}rregaard, {Rasmus Dyrmose} and Laila Espersen and Malene M{\o}hl and Nielsen, {Torkel Gissel}",

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T1 - Succession of picophytoplankton during the spring bloom 2012 in Disko Bay (West Greenland)—an unexpectedly low abundance of green algae.

AU - Sørensen, Nikolaj

AU - Daugbjerg, Niels

AU - Richardson, Katherine

AU - Nørregaard, Rasmus Dyrmose

AU - Espersen, Laila

AU - Møhl, Malene

AU - Nielsen, Torkel Gissel

PY - 2017/2/1

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N2 - Picoplankton are an ecologically important component of pelagic Arctic marine ecosystems that may be heavily impacted by climate change. In order to assess potential impacts of a changing environment on this group, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of their population dynamics and seasonal distribution. This study, carried out in Disko Bay, West Greenland, during spring 2012, demonstrates that fuco-algae (e.g. chrysophytes, cryptophytes, diatoms and pelagophytes) dominated the picophytoplankton during the spring bloom with minor contributions from haptophytes. In the post-bloom phase, fuco-algae were replaced by haptophytes. In contrast to total chlorophyll a, which varied dramatically over the study period, the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a remained relatively stable despite the variability in picophytoplankton community composition. Based on mostly molecular studies, a general picture has emerged from the literature that mamiellophytes (a group within the green algae) dominate Arctic picophytoplankton. Here, however, green algae were found to contribute with only about 10 % of the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a. We suggest here that differences in cell size may offer a plausible explanation for the contrast between results obtained from molecular studies and those obtained from pigment- and microscopy-based studies.

AB - Picoplankton are an ecologically important component of pelagic Arctic marine ecosystems that may be heavily impacted by climate change. In order to assess potential impacts of a changing environment on this group, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of their population dynamics and seasonal distribution. This study, carried out in Disko Bay, West Greenland, during spring 2012, demonstrates that fuco-algae (e.g. chrysophytes, cryptophytes, diatoms and pelagophytes) dominated the picophytoplankton during the spring bloom with minor contributions from haptophytes. In the post-bloom phase, fuco-algae were replaced by haptophytes. In contrast to total chlorophyll a, which varied dramatically over the study period, the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a remained relatively stable despite the variability in picophytoplankton community composition. Based on mostly molecular studies, a general picture has emerged from the literature that mamiellophytes (a group within the green algae) dominate Arctic picophytoplankton. Here, however, green algae were found to contribute with only about 10 % of the picoplanktonic chlorophyll a. We suggest here that differences in cell size may offer a plausible explanation for the contrast between results obtained from molecular studies and those obtained from pigment- and microscopy-based studies.

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DO - 10.1007/s00300-016-1952-8

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0722-4060

VL - 40

SP - 463

EP - 469

JO - Polar Biology

JF - Polar Biology

IS - 2

ER -

Succession of picophytoplankton during the spring bloom 2012 in Disko Bay (West Greenland)—an unexpectedly low abundance of green algae.

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